Wal Mart disaster relief.

[jyoutz]

I have a background as the Emergency Management Coordinator for 2 cities and 1 hospital. FEMA employees are not front-line first responders. FEMA is composed of 6,000 administrative personnel that coordinate the federal response to disasters. The local city and county Emergency Management agencies are the front-line responders. If they need assistance, they declare a disaster and let the state know what specific needs they have, such as needing state police or additional ambulances. If the state cannot supply what is needed, then the state declares a disaster, requests a federal disaster declaration, and if granted, makes their needs known to FEMA.

FEMA does not come in and take over, they work within the chain of command for local and state response. FEMA coordinates the assistance from government agencies such as the military and Small Business Administration, non-government agencies (NGOs), and private contractors. FEMA resources are not immediate response, usually several days to a week out. FEMA does directly manage reimbursement to local, state, and federal agencies for disaster response and long-term recovery efforts. That is the budget that has been syphoned off. It is not unusual for Congress to have to approve supplement funds apart from the annual FEMA funding for a specific disaster.

Thank you for an actual informative post. What you describe is how I have seen FEMA operates. They are not intended to be front line responders.

 

[dmccarty]

No, I have very little faith in FEMA or other Federal Agencies. They did little when our town was hit by a tornado. The Amish/Mennonites who built many of the houses would spit on the ground when FEMA was mentioned. The leader of one group we visited with said that the 'government people' just tried to get in the way, then take credit for what others were doing.

Amish Disaster Relief (name may not be exactly right), Samaritan's Purse, Tower to Tunnels, Walmart, and Lowes each did much more than any government agency except local government.

RSKY

This has been my experience as well. After Hurricane Floyd hit, the Mennonites appeared out of no where into a very small but hard it town. I have no idea how they got there or how they found out about the town but there they were. Red Cross and National Guard were feeding people after the storm and before the water had receded, but where soon gone. The Mennonites, Baptists and just people where there to clean out the houses, tear down to studs and floor joists, and rebuild. Just people did the recovery.

Helped a coworker who had a family member killed by a small tornado that hit three homes and killed three people. I think FEMA payed for cleanup but WE had to get the debris to the road, several 100 yards way. It would have been easier to just burn the rubble pile, which I mentioned to one of the volunteer fire fighters who was helping clean up. He said we can't due to pollution regulations and this was in a rural area. The fire fighter had pulled the coworkers family member from the debris. He had just had rubble recover training shortly before the tornado.

The big named organizations were no where to be seen after a week or so.

I was, and still am, ticked off about the lack of Federal response to Floyd. NC has, and had, a Marine division, an Army division, at least two Air Force and one Marine Air Wings, yet not one unit was sent out past the gates to help the communities so badly affected by Floyd. There were some copters sent out to rescue people and that was that. Pathetic response. A company of solider or Marines moving through these areas just cleaning out houses so they could be rebuilt would have been a huge boost to people's morale and so helpful for recovery. But what happened? Nothing. The political "leadership" did nothing. Shameful.

I am seeing large numbers of private, state and Federal copters over the mountains. The 82nd airborne has sent soldiers into help. About danged time. People in my area, like they always have for disaster relief, are sending supplies into the disaster area. The stores are sold out of supplies being sent. Area police and Sheriff departments are sending out supplies as are companies. Radio stations are talking about where to go to drop off supplies. Volvo has supplied drivers and trucks to haul supplies. The Mennonites have a community up in the mountains and I assume they have been affected. I hope non Mennonites go help them.

 

[jyoutz]

This has been my experience as well. After Hurricane Floyd hit, the Mennonites appeared out of no where into a very small but hard it town. I have no idea how they got there or how they found out about the town but there they were. Red Cross and National Guard were feeding people after the storm and before the water had receded, but where soon gone. The Mennonites, Baptists and just people where there to clean out the houses, tear down to studs and floor joists, and rebuild. Just people did the recovery.

Helped a coworker who had a family member killed by a small tornado that hit three homes and killed three people. I think FEMA payed for cleanup but WE had to get the debris to the road, several 100 yards way. It would have been easier to just burn the rubble pile, which I mentioned to one of the volunteer fire fighters who was helping clean up. He said we can't due to pollution regulations and this was in a rural area. The fire fighter had pulled the coworkers family member from the debris. He had just had rubble recover training shortly before the tornado.

The big named organizations were no where to be seen after a week or so.

I was, and still am, ticked off about the lack of Federal response to Floyd. NC has, and had, a Marine division, an Army division, at least two Air Force and one Marine Air Wings, yet not one unit was sent out past the gates to help the communities so badly affected by Floyd. There were some copters sent out to rescue people and that was that. Pathetic response. A company of solider or Marines moving through these areas just cleaning out houses so they could be rebuilt would have been a huge boost to people's morale and so helpful for recovery. But what happened? Nothing. The political "leadership" did nothing. Shameful.

I am seeing large numbers of private, state and Federal copters over the mountains. The 82nd airborne has sent soldiers into help. About danged time. People in my area, like they always have for disaster relief, are sending supplies into the disaster area. The stores are sold out of supplies being sent. Area police and Sheriff departments are sending out supplies as are companies. Radio stations are talking about where to go to drop off supplies. Volvo has supplied drivers and trucks to haul supplies. The Mennonites have a community up in the mountains and I assume they have been affected. I hope non Mennonites go help them.

WM75Guy posted information about the roles and responsibilities of FEMA. It is mostly a funding program, not a first responder program. Your state and local governments are the first responders. FEMA reimburses the state and local governments and individuals.

 

[Duds13]

My brother-in-law that used to live in Minnesota thinks we are nuts retiring five years ago and stayed here in Minnesota, sure we get some snow, but we like the snow and it typically don’t kill us.

He thinks because he and his wife are retired and moved to Florida, everybody should and we’re doing it wrong.


We are both retired and don’t have to live here but we like the winter. We enjoy it and have fun in the winter.

It's not just snow I am trying to get away from, lol

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Whether it is right or wrong the main response I have seen to this disaster is a mostly grassroots effort. People from the surrounding areas driving in with donated goods. I live close to the affected area and know lots of people in WNC. There are DROVES of people driving from areas all around WNC with donated goods to help those in need. Just yesterday a friend drove up there with donated good. I sent a full 5 gallon gas tank, 20 lb. propane tank, some shotgun shells, a bottle of whiskey, duct tape, rubber gloves, paper towels, shovels, tarps, new boots that didn't fit right, etc. I just went through my shop and threw things I would think they would need in a big bag. At this point I think there is plenty of water and granola bars getting there but very little of the other necessities that they need to get life back on track. I only hope those things get into the hands of the people who need it most. Some people have NOTHING left, and it is heart breaking. But it is truly wonderful to see the people of this region coming together to help each other.

 

[Duds13]

A farm across the border in VT from my small hometown is taking donations all weekend and loading up two tractor trailers from the local director chair and patio furniture company to deliver to North Carolina. We're currently in the process of cleaning out my parent's house so we will be donating as much as we can.

 

[fatjay]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842212404689551467

 

[HawkinsHollow]

A farm across the border in VT from my small hometown is taking donations all weekend and loading up two tractor trailers from the local director chair and patio furniture company to deliver to North Carolina. We're currently in the process of cleaning out my parent's house so we will be donating as much as we can.

The only thing I worry about it TOO MUCH stuff getting there and just adding to the amount of trash they have to deal with.

 

[Duds13]

The only thing I worry about it TOO MUCH stuff getting there and just adding to the amount of trash they have to deal with.

I understand that, but they are in need and they listed specific items that are accepting for the donations

 

[RSKY]

Elon Musk reports from his SpaceX employee on the ground in Asheville, North Carolina that shipments of good to help the victims of Helene are being seized by FEMA so they can distribute them as their own.

Here’s the post from Elon:

“Hey Elon, update here on site of Asheville, NC. We have powered up two large operating bases for choppers to deliver goods into hands. We’ve deployed 300+ starlinks and outpour is it has saved many lives.
The big issue is FEMA is actively blocking shipments and seizing goods and services locally and locking them away to state they are their own. It’s very real and scary how much they have taken control to stop people helping. We are blocked now on the shipments of new starlinks coming in until we get an escort from the fire dept. but that may not be enough.”

Musk then updated with this text he’s received since he posted the above:

“Just received this text 20 mins ago. The level of belligerent government incompetence is staggering!!”

It’s bad enough that it took FEMA so long to show up. But for them to now block efforts to get people goods and services and to seize these goods to make it seem like they are their own, well that’s criminal.